Aesthetics have altered and we all have different views on things discussed in years gone by. Something that has survived the course, however, is Carpet Tiles. These practical pieces have been part of décor since the mid-twentieth century when the concept was created by Heuga, then a small company just outside of Amsterdam, who used horse and hog hair yarn to perfect their product. This was originally a ‘carpet in a box’ concept, aimed to make furnishing easier.
Widespread success took hold in America during the decades that followed, with carpet tile sales booming in the 70s, 80s, and 90s as the go-to-choice for commercial offices. During this period Heuga were bought by American modular carpet giants, Interface, and the carpet tile world continued to grow. What started as a convenient product for your home is now largely used for offices. So what are the benefits of these functional pieces, and why might they actually be a great fit for your home?
Easy Fit
With their easy to fit design and format carpet tiles are effortless to lay, maintain and to replace, in relation to a traditional one-piece carpet. Their availability as individual segments, that are flat packed in easy to carry boxes carpet tiles, and don’t require a complete stripping of a building makes them the go-to product for architects and DIY enthusiasts alike. Carpet tiles are a firm favourite of Award-winning architect Cecilia Kugler, who has advised that ‘I will always choose carpet tiles, over broadloom for my education projects as they are just so much more flexible.’
Hardwearing
Their ability to take the constant tread of office and public life makes them the perfect option for small and large spaces, despite not requiring an underlay. Stain resistance options allow that added level of durability, while those Individual tiles that do get dirty can be removed to be cleaned, and then replaced when dry. If a tile becomes damaged, it’s effortless to replace and offers the continuity that a traditional carpet cannot. It is this capacity that makes them perfect for a utility or boot room in a home, as well as in the business world.
Sustainability
Carpet tiles offer a minimal waste flooring solution and one that merely requires single tiles to be replaced when required, not whole sections of flooring. The security of a 10-year wear guarantee on all of our carpet tiles certainly adds to their practicality and sustainable approach.
This is further embodied by the carpet tile kingpins, Interface, who through their Mission Zero statement, aims to be a fully sustainable enterprise by 2020. Their approach is to minimise their emissions and energy use, and across Europe, 95% of the company’s energy consumption now comes from renewable sources.
So with this in mind, is this low impact, easy to fit and maintain floor a possible solution for your home? Its functionality is certainly helpful if you are renting a property and need to move, while the selection of colours, styles and products available means that there is something to go with every décor in the land. We’ll leave the final decision up to you, but we certainly feel it’s a great investment to make.
